Following several days of rain, it’s a beautiful at Monmouth Park. The main track is fast, the grass is good, and races 1 and 4 have been moved to the main track. The remainder of the turf races stay on the lawn.

The race 11 United Nations is one of two Grade 1 races at Monmouth. The other, the Haskell Invitational, will be held four weeks from today.

There are no changes in the $300,000 United Nations, which has a field of eight. Focus Group is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for trainer Chad Brown, who has won the U.N. three times – last year with Funtastic and in 2013 and 2015 with Big Blue Kitten.

Bigger Picture, an 8-year-old trained by Mike Maker, will be gunning for his second win in the U.N. He proved best in the race two years ago under Joe Bravo, who will be back aboard today.

Bravo has won the U.N. four times, tying him with retired Hall of Famers Jorge Velasquez and Jose Santos for the most wins in the race. In addition to Bigger Picture’s victory, Bravo was aboard for both of Big Blue Kitten’s wins and rode Turbo Compressor in 2012.

The U.N. is a tricky race to handicap because there is little speed in the field, which could hurt the closers Focus Group and Bigger Picture. Channel Cat, trained by Todd Pletcher, and Zulu Alpha, who races for Maker, hold an edge if they are able to control the pace.

The supporting stakes are the Grade 3 Eatontown (race 7), the Grade 3 Philip Iselin (race 10), and the $100,000 Lady’s Secret (race 11).

The only scratches are Navy Commander (#2) in the Iselin and Crimson Frost (#2) in the Lady’s Secret.

The Iselin field of six will match Runnin’toluvya and Diamond King, the one-two finishers from the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic, and Bal Harbour, who ran very well in his last race after blowing the break in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile while returning from a layoff.

Trainer John Servis adds blinkers to Diamond King’s equipment, which should help him concentrate more than he has in some of his races.

Runnin’toluvya, based at Charles Town with his owner-trainer Tim Grams, has won 10 consecutive races and is 13 for 17 in his career. This will be his first start outside West Virginia.

Bal Harbour made a big move on the far turn of the Salvator before flattening out and finishing third after dropping a dozen lengths back after his poor start.